The Vikings ranked No. 1 in the NFL in scoring defense and total defense last season. Their next task is to maintain such dominant defense for years to come.

The Vikings’ defense looks to be in great shape for next season, but there might be might be some questions after that. That’s one reason why this year’s draft, which runs Thursday through Saturday in Arlington, Texas, carries so much importance.

Minnesota has a number of key defensive players not under contract for 2019. If some don’t return, the Vikings hope they can add some players from this year’s draft who are ready to take over.

“They have guys on defense they’re going to have to make a decision on, and you want to have guys in case you lose some guys,” said former Vikings safety Corey Chavous, a draft analyst for DraftNasty.com and CBS. “You don’t want to head into the draft next year thinking you’ve got to get some guys to play right away. It’s always better to have guys who will have like a redshirt year before they might have to step in.”

Last week, the Vikings signed linebacker Eric Kendricks to a contract extension. They are also looking to extend linebacker Anthony Barr and defensive end Danielle Hunter, who like Kendricks are entering the final years of their contracts.

Free-agent signee Shelden Richardson will take over as the starter at three-technique defensive tackle, but he is on just a one-year deal. Defensive end Brian Robison, a key reserve who turns 35 Friday, is entering the final year of his contract and may retire after the season.

In the secondary, the Vikings have until May 3 to pick up the $9.069 million fifth-year contract option for 2019 on cornerback Trae Waynes, although most observers believe they will. And safety Andrew Sendejo has a team option on his $5.45 million deal for 2019, when he will be 32.

Minnesota’s top defensive need entering the draft might be at defensive tackle. The Vikings lost depth at the position when Tom Johnson and Shamar Stephen both left to sign with Seattle. They have second-year player Jaleel Johnson, but at least one other player at the spot would come handy.

With the No. 30 pick in the first round, the Vikings could go for an offensive lineman but they could find it appealing if one of the top three-technique defensive tackles becomes available. Possibilities could include Michigan’s Maurice Hurst, Alabama’s Da’Ron Payne and Florida’s Taven Bryan.

Payne and Bryan might be gone by the 30th pick. Hurst was considered the draft’s top interior defensive lineman available before an irregular heartbeat kept him from participating at the combine. He was cleared later and took part in Michigan’s pro day.

“With the heart issue, if teams worried about that, he could (slide),” Brugler said.

Another talented cornerback also could come in handy for Minnesota. Free agent Terence Newman is unsigned and will be 40 in September, and Mackensie Alexander has been uneven in his first two seasons.

Cornerbacks who could be available at No. 30 include Iowa’s Josh Jackson, Central Florida’s Mike Hughes and Colorado’s Isaiah Oliver. Jackson led the FBS with eight interceptions.

“He’s got a real good feel for the game,” Chavous said of Jackson.

At safety, a candidate at No. 30 could be Alabama’s Ronnie Harrison. If the Vikings don’t select one that early, they are a good bet to take a safety with one of their remaining seven selections.

If the Vikings go with a linebacker in the first round, possible candidates are Alabama’s Rashaan Evans and Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch. Regardless, there figure to be many intriguing options at linebacker throughout the draft.

“It’s a very deep linebacker class,” Chavous said. “This is the deepest position we have on our board.”

The Vikings lost free-agent linebacker Emmanuel Lamur to Oakland last month, then last week Kentrell Brothers was suspended by the NFL for the first four games of 2018 for the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Brothers has been solid on special teams, so Chavous could see the Vikings taking a linebacker to help there during Brothers’ absence. One player he said to keep an eye on in the middle rounds is South Carolina State’s Darius Leonard.

BRIEFLY

The Vikings will have members of the U.S. Olympic gold-medal men’s curling team announce a selection from the St. Paul Curling Club on Saturday’s final day of the draft. … According to the NFL Players Association, the Vikings have $15.73 million remaining of salary-cap room. Some of that money might be used for extensions for Barr, Hunter, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and guard Nick Easton.

Chris joined the Pioneer Press in 2013 to cover the Vikings. He was a longtime NBA writer with the Akron Beacon Journal, Rocky Mountain News and AOL FanHouse. Before coming to Minnesota, he covered the Miami Heat and Dolphins for Fox Sports. Chris has won six awards in the past three Pro Football Writers of America contests. Chris is a graduate of Northwestern University, where he spent his college years watching the losingest team in the history of Division I-A football.

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